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MISS  S.  C.  BREWER. 


GUIDE  TO 

Painting  on  Porcelain  and 
Earthen-ware. 

BY 

MADAME  £ EASIER  DE  LA  VAUGUYON. 

PUBLISHED  BY 

MLLE.  TAN  T 1 6 T . 


BOSTON: 

J.  E.  FARWELL  & COMPANY, 
45  Pearl  Street. 

1 8 77. 


COPYRIGHTED 


1877, 

By  L.  H.  Brasier  de  la  Vauguyon. 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016  with  funding  from 
. Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/guidetopaintingoOObras 


INTRODUCTION. 


L’ceil  est  le  vrai  compas  de  l* ideal,  prenant  pour  guide 
la  nature  et  le  genie  de  Cart. 


I have  Ions:  hesitated  about  writing  this  little  artistic 
brochure;  being  devoid  of  all  literary  pretensions,  it 
has  but  one  aim — to  render  service  bv  aiding  students 
in  their  studies,  and  to  make  their  task  easier.  Passion- 
ately loving  my  art,  I write  as  an  artist,  and  for  artists. 

The  advice  which  I shall  give  in  this  book  is  the 
result  of  a long  practice  in  the  Ceramic  art,  and  of  con- 
stant research. 

I work  con  amore,  and  write  only  for  those  who,  like 
myself,  love  art,  and  work  constantly  with  the  desire  of 
obtaining  a progress  which  can  only  be  sure  and  true, 
as  the  artist  is  conscientious.  I write  from  my  con- 
victions : keeping  them  religiously,  but  imposing  them 
on  no  one. 

L.  II . Brasier  de  la  Vauguyon. 

16  Jain,  1877.  Boston. 


v 


Guide  to  Painting  on  Porcelain  and 
on  Earthen-ware. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  first  condition  for  painting  well,  on  porcelain  or 
earthen-ware,  should  be  the  care  which  one  takes  in  the 
choice  of  colors,  brushes,  palettes,  etc.,  etc. 

The  colors  should  be  well  prepared  (in  their  chemi- 
cal state)  and  well  ground,  and  be  sure  that  you  pur- 
chase only  those  which  come  in  small  glass  bottles,  and 
not  in  pasteboard  boxes,  for  the  more  they  are  pre- 
served from  contact  with  the  air  or  dampness,  the 
longer  will  they  be  likely  to  keep  pure  and  intact. 


8 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE. 


Let  your  essences  be  well  purified,  and  your  brushes 
of  good  quality,  that  is,  they  should  be  soft  and  fine, 
and  very  straight  from  the  extremity  of  the  point. 
Your  palettes  should  be  of  ground  glass,  and  rather 
thick. 


CHAPTER  II. 

To  work  simply  is  a great  art ! 

Yes,  work  simply,  use  but  few  colors,  and  have  them 
good  ; but  little  essence  and  have  it  pure. 

Before  beginning  to  paint,  draw  the  subject  carefully, 
using  a Xo.  3 Faber’s  pencil.  If  the  point  does  not 
mark  black  enough  on  the  enamel,  moisten  it  in  a little 
spirits  of  turpentine.. 

As  I have  said  before,  draw  with  care,  and  always  be 
very  exact  in  the  first  work,  for  the  merit  of  a .painting 
on  china  or  pottery,  varies  according  to  the  greater 
or  lesser  degree  of  decision  and  clearness  in  the 
drawing. 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN -WARE. 


9 


In  painting,  use  two  essences  only : the  spirits  of 
turpentine,  and  the  fat  oil  of  turpentine  ; a greater  vari- 
ety is  useless,  and  only  serves  to  make  the  work  more 
complicated  and  dry. 

You  should  use  the  spirits  of  turpentine  on  china  or 
earthen-ware,  as  you  use  water,  in  water-colors ; for  a 
painting  on  porcelain  is  nothing  else  but  a water-color 
painting ; instead  of  water,  you  use  spirits  ; instead  of 
paper,  you  use  enamel ; instead  of  colors  mixed  with 
gum,  or  honey,  you  use  ground  minerals  ; but  the  style 
of  painting  is  the  same. 

Use  the  fat  oil  of  turpentine  moderately,  it  is  very 
dangerous  in  its  results  in  the  firing ; it  is  useful  only  to 
render  work  easier  in  the  use  of  colors. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

THIS  IS  THE  LIST  WHICH  FORMS  31 Y PALETTE. 
Colors  for  the  Flesh  Tints. 

Blanc  de  Chine — Chinese  white. 

Blanc  d' email — Enamel  3vhite. 


10  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE. 


Jaune  d’iyoire — Ivory  yellow. 

Jaune  d? argent — Pale  yellow. 

Ocre  jaune — Yellow  ochre. 

Jaune  brillant — Brilliant  yellow. 

Brun  rouge — Reddish  brown. 

Brun  jaune — Yellow  brown. 

B ithume — Bitumen . 

Noir  d’ivoire — Ivory  black. 

Bleu  fixe — Permanent  blue. 

Bleu  de  France — French  blue. 

( ou  de  Sevres — or  Sevres  blue). 

Bleu  Victoria — Victoria  blue. 

Violet  de  fer — Violet  of  iron. 

Vert  bleu — Blue  green. 

Vert  noir — Black  green. 

Vert  emeraude — Emerald  green. 

(ou  Vert  brillant — or  Brilliant  green). 
Carmin  No.  1 — Carmine  No.  1. 

Carminfin — Fine  carmine. 

Carmin  extra-fin — Extra-line  carmine. 
Carmin  No.  3 — Carmine  No.  3. 

Pourpre — Purple. 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE.  11 


THIS  IS  THE  PALETTE  FOR  LANDSCAPES . 

To  the  above  colors  add  the  following : 

Rouge  capucine — Capucine  red. 

Rouge  corail — Coral  red. 

Vert  jaune — Yellow  green. 

Bleu  clair — Light  blue. 

With  these  twenty-six  colors  you  can  find  every 
variety  of  tints  for  working  from  nature,  or  for  copying 
the  works  of  the  masters. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

When  the  drawing  is  done,  and  well  finished,  that  is, 
the  outlines  well  marked  out,  the  shadows  lightly  indi- 
cated in  pencil,  you  take  up  a little  bitumen  on  the 
point  of  the  palette  knife  (use  a horn  knife,  it  is  pre- 
ferable to  any  other  for  this  kind  ^ of  painting) , and 
broadly  lay  in  all  your  work  with  this  single  tint ; bitu- 
men is  a very  good  color,  and  can  serve  as  a groundwork 
for  every  tint  in  the  shadows.  Grind  it  on  your  palette 


12  PAESTING  OX  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE . 


before  making  use  of  it,  using  for  this  purpose  a little 
glass  muller,  and  to  make  your  color  easier  to  handle, 
put  into  it,  as  you  grind  it,  spirits  of  turpentine,  and 
one  or  two  drops  of  fat  oil  of  turpentine.  When 
your  color  is  well  ground,  sketch  in  your  subject. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

Before  continuing  further  the  indications  to  be  fol- 
lowed in  the  work,  I will  designate  the  colors  which 
ought  to  be  used  alone,  and  those  which  can  be  mixed. 
For  the  fire  is  a terrible  enemy  to  the  artist,  one  with 
which  he  must  always  contend.  Often  your  painting 
before  firing  seems  to  you  charming,  you  have  worked 
on  it  with  great  pleasure,  and  executed  it  with  care,  you 
are  enchanted  with  yourself  and  your  work,  you  give 
this  piece  of  work  which  has  cost  you  a thousand  cares 
and  much  study,  to  the  Firer ; you  anxiously  await  the 
result  of  the  firing  of  the  painting  which  you  have 
worked  on  with  so  much  love  and  patience  ; it  went 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE.  13  ' 


from  your  hands,  fresh,  brilliant,  and  pretty  in  all  its 
parts,  it  is  returned  to  you  red , where  you  wished  it 
gray,  green , where  you  wished  it  pink.  What  a decep- 
tion, alas  ! Well,  and  all  this  often,  because  you  have 
not  known  how  to  use  your  colors  ! 

Here,  then,  is  the  list  of  colors  that  can  be  mixed 
together  : 

Greens  can  be  mixed  with  yellows,  browns,  blues, 
capucine  red,  white,  and  black. 

Yellows  with  blues,  whites,  reds,  greens. 

White  with  all  the  colors. 

Black  almost  always  alone  and  used  very  sparingly ; 
this  color  is  dangerous  in  its  effects,  the  fire  gives  it 
much  force,  its  action  is  increased  by  fire  ; and  often 
other  colors  near  it  — if  they  are  put  on  thickly — 
become  black. 

The  violet  of  iron  can  be  mixed  with  blues,  whites, 
greens,  browns. 

Browns  can  be  mixed  with  bitumens,  greens,  yellows, 
blues,  and  violet  of  iron. 

The  bitumens  can  be  used  with  browns,  blues, 
yellows,  greens,  carmines. 

Carmines,  as  a general  thing,  ought  only  to  be  used 


♦ 14  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  E ARTHEN-WARE . 


alone,  — with  but  few  exceptions  ; when  one  wishes  to 
obtain  very  light  pinks,  the  carmines  can  be  mixed  with 
white,  and  when  one  wishes  very  deep  shadows  in 
carmine,  one  can  mix  it  with  bitumen. 

Purple  is  a very  beautiful  color,  almost  the  most 
beautiful  on  the  palette,  it  must  be  used  alone  ; in  fact, 
it  will  not  bear  to  be  mixed  except  with  blue,  and  in  a 
very  small  quantity.  Capucine  red  can  be  mixed  with 
yellows,  greens,  and  browns,  but  in  a very  small 
quantity. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Here  is  a question  which  has  often  been  put  to  me. 
Can  one  have  the  same  painting  fired  several  times? 
Yes;  even  five  or  six  times, — this  is  done  with  the 
manufacture  of  Sevres  in  France,  in  order  to  obtain 
those  fine,  delicate  flesh  tints  which  excite  our  admira- 
tion, and  a legitimate  admiration  it  is,  indeed,  for  works 
of  the  greatest  merit  are  produced  in  the  manufacture 
of  Sevres. 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTIIEN-WARE.  15 


Painting  on  china  is,  besides,  an  excellent  work  to 
develop  an  artist’s  taste  for  color,  and  to  give  him  at 
the  same  time  dexterity  and  lightness  of  touch. 

Several  of  our  great  painters  commenced  their 
artistic  career  with  this  kind  of  work : Hamon, 

Hebert,  Decamps,  Diaz,  and  a number  of  others;  and 
many  other  painters  of  the  present  day  show  mueh 
talent  in  this  branch  of  art.  We  should  never  be 
astonished  at  the  difference  in  price  for  two  paintings 
on  porcelain  representing  the  same  subject,  and  of  the 
same  size ; one  will  be  sold  for  10  francs,  or  20  francs ; 
the  other  for  200  francs,  500  francs,  1000  francs ; 
but  look  at  the  work  over  the  signature,  and  if  you  are 
an  artist,  or  a veritable  amateur  with  good  taste,  you 
will  understand  the  difference  in  the  price. 

What  is  talent  ? What  is  genius  ? What  is  love  of 
art?  Genius  is  a spark  from  the  Divine  Spirit  im- 
planted in  the  heart  of  man  by  God  himself.  For  the 
love  of  art  elevates  the  soul,  and  gives  us  strength  to 
struggle  on  this  earth,  and  the  courage  to  support  great 
trials  when  God  sends  them  to  us ; the  love  of  art 
holds  us  between  Heaven  and  earth,  we  draw  near  to 
Heaven  when  we  know  how  to  admire  what  is  truly 
beautiful,  truly  grand. 


1 PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE. 


CHAPTEE  VII. 

HOW  TO  TREAT  A HEAD  IN  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN. 

Make  your  drawing  first,  and  with  great  care,  with  a 
pencil  cut  very  fine,  then  when  the  drawing  is  done, 
and  is  very  clear  in  the  outlines,  lay  in  your  shadows 
according  to  the  flesh  tints  of  your  model ; if  it  is  a 
blonde  woman,  lay  in  the  shadows  with  yellow  ochre  and 
lightly  with  capucine  red  ( rouge  capucine ) ; for  very 
deep  shadows,  use  brown;  lay  on  the  color  of  the  hair 
according  to  the  complexion,  leave  the  luminous  parts 
to  be  produced  by  the  white  surface  of  the  enamel, 
sketch  the  shadows  with  bitumen;  if  you  wish  a deep 
shade  of  light  hair  use  yellow  brown  ; if  you  wish  to 
render  pale  light  hair,  yellow.  If,  in  your  subject,  you 
have  stuffs,  draperies  and  furniture,  lay  in  your 
shadows  also  with  bitumen;  be  sure,  however,  that  in 
this  first  work  you  well  understand  their  value,  by  com- 
paring them  one  with  the  other,  and  use  bitumen  more 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTIIEN-WARE.  17 


or  less  strong  according  to  effects.  Have  very  little 
color  in  the  details  of  the  backgrounds,  reserve  all  the 
strength,  both  in  shadows  and  in  tints,  for  the  principal 
subject. 

After  this  first  work,  have  the  first  firing,  if  the  use 
of  your  colors  has  been  light,  and  if  you  have  used  but 
little  fat  oil  of  turpentine  your  sketch  ought  to  be  good. 
Then  go  over  the  work  again,  begin  with  the  back- 
ground ; work  lightly,  and  almost  always  in  neutral 
gray;  do  in  the  same  way,  stuffs,  draperies,  furniture, 
etc.,  etc.,  over  all  these  accessories  pass  what  is  called 
a flat  tint,  that  is  to  say,  that  which  determines  the  color 
or  the  tone  of  your  effect ; and  if  you  have  thoroughly 
understood  the  shadows  for  those  effects,  if  they  are  in 
their  place,  and  rightly  drawn,  if  their  tonality  is  good, 
your  general  effect  after  this  flat  tint  must  be  pretty,  and 
nearly  completed. 

You  should  next  do  the  head  ; and  you  should  in  the 
same  way,  put  a flat  tint  all  over  the  face,  avoiding  each 
time  passing  the  tint  over  the  white  of  the  eyes. 

This  flat  tint  ought  to  be  composed  of  ivory  yellow 
and  a little  white,  according  to  the  complexion  of  the 
face ; if  that  of  a brunette , a little  capucine  red ; if  a 


18  PAIXTIXG  OX  PORCEEAIX  AXD  EARTHEX-WAEE . 


blonde,  a little,  very  little  extra-fine  carmine.  Then  you 
mark  out  the  eyes  according  to  the  color  of  the  model ; 
if  they  are  blue,  you  sketch  them  with  a little  violet  of 
iron,  and  finish  off  with  blue ; if  they  are  black,  sketch 
them  with  black  and  blue,  and  finish  off  with  black  and 
bitumen.  Carefully  preserve  the  luminous  parts,  and 
always  treat  the  eye  with  great  lightness  of  touch, 
using  but  little  color,  to  avoid  that  hard,  cold  look 
which  gives  such  a disagreeable  expression  to  the  face, 
and  which  entirely  destroys  the  harmony  of  a head. 
Pass  the  flat  tint  in  the  same  way  over  the  hair,  accord- 
ing to  its  color,  then  have  a firing;  but,  above  all,  let 
this  first  work  be  light,  for  the  last  tints  have  not  yet 
been  begun  ; and  you  are  to  end  your  work  with  a demi- 
tint.  If  the  result  of  your  work  is  good,  after  the 
first  filings,  you  finish  with  gray  or  demi-tints. 

For  the  face,  demi-tints  are  composed  of  white,  blue, 
violet  of  iron,  and  very  little  emerald  green ; or  bril- 
liant greens  for  the  complexions  of  blondes  ; these  grays 
or  demi-tints  should  be  put  around  the  brow  to  harmon- 
ize the  tones  of  the  flesh  with  those  of  the  hair,  also 
near  the  nose,  to  gradually  blend  the  shadows  with  the 
lights,  and  under  the  eyelashes,  to  give  more  expression 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE.  19 


to  the  glance,  near  the  chin  to  determine  the  model- 
ling, and  to  soften  the  form. 

Put  this  gray  also  between  the  shadows  and  the  lights 
on  the  neck ; finally,  use  skill  and  art  in  laying  on 
demi-tints  to  soften  the  effects  of  contrast,  aud  to  arrive 
gradually  and  without  abruptness  from  the  strong 
shadows  to  the  hio'h  lights. 

Before  having  a third  firing,  you  can  go  over  all  the 
strong  shadows  of  the  face,  the  expression,  the  hair, 
and  all  the  accessories — background,  drapery,  stuffs, 
furniture,  etc.,  etc.  Then  you  can  have  it  fired,  and 
very  often  after  the  third  firing  the  work  will  be  com- 
pleted ; that  depends  always  on  your  drawing,  for  if 
your  touches  are  well  given,  with  the  sentiment  of  the 
form;  if  the  flat  tints  have  been  well  laid  on,  following 
the  model ; if  the  demi-tints  are  well  placed  and  in  har- 
mony, uniting  without  too  much  abruptness  the  lights 
to  the  demi-tints,  and  the  demi-tints  to  the  shadows, 
you  will  not  need  to  have  a firing  the  fourth  time.  If 
not,  if  your  work  does  not  satisfy  you,  you  must  go 
over  all  the  defective  parts,  and  by  successive  firings 
you  will  give  it  more  strength  in  the  color,  and  more 
clearness  in  the  drawing. 

All  the  first  tints  must  be  softened  by  the  badger. 


20  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE. 


CHAPTER  VHI. 

LANDSCAPE  ON  PORCELAIN. 

This  kind  of  painting  may  be  decided  and  well  fin- 
ished with  one  single  firing. 

The  palette  which  I have  given  above  is  rich  enough 
in  all  its  variety  of  colors , to  permit  the  artist  to  render 
all  the  effects  so  harmonious  and  varied,  under  which 
nature  shows  herself  in  a beauty,  which,  in  itself,  is 
always  harmonious  and  varied. 

Distances  do  not  bear  great  admixture  of  all  tints 
and  colors,  they  ought  always  to  be  of  gray,  composed 
of  violet  of  iron,  blue  (light),  and  lightly  with  pale 
green.  But  the  sky,  the  ground,  and  the  foliage,  so 
rich  in  its  hues,  can  be  made  by  mingling  all  the  colors 
together. 

To  render  the  impressions  of  the  artist,  painting  on 
china  especially,  leaves  a great  freedom  in  the  execu- 
tion, and  that  freedom  is,  in  itself,  an  attraction  which 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN- WARE.  21 


captivates  the  mind  of  the  artist  and  holds  the  eye  of 
the  spectator ; he  understands  and  admires  all  that  the 
artist  has  dreamed,  seen,  and  rendered  by  the  illusion 
of  color,  and  the  boldness  of  his  skilful  brush ; the  sky 
can  be  true  and  brilliant  without  being  hard  or  cold ; 
heavy,  and  charged  with  rain  or  storm,  without  being 
dull  or  too  black.  Finally,  with  the  palette  given 
above,  one  can  render  the  sunsets  so  splendidly  gor- 
geous, where  the  sun  disappears  from  our  planet,  envel- 
oping itself  in  the  dazzling  pomp  of  light  and  of  gold. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

PAINTING  ON  CHINA. 

Au  grand  feu — Brisk  Jire , so  called. 
UNDER-GLAZE  OR  BISCUIT-PAINTING  IN  ENGLISH. 


This  kind  of  painting  exacts  more  knowledge  and 
more  practice  than  the  other.  An  artist  accustomed  to 


PAIXTIXG-  OX  PORCELAIX  AXD  E AETHEX -WARE . 


22 


paint  in  oil,  will  succeed  in  this  work  with  much  less 
trouble,  and  much  more  talent  than  an  artist  whose 
specialty  is  water-colors,  or  painting  on  porcelain. 

Painting  on  china  ( an  grand  feu) — strong  fire,  as  it  is 
called — ought  always  to  be  treated  broadly , using  rather 
thick  brushes,  somewhat  of  the  shape  used  in  oil-paint- 
ing. The  colors,  or  minerals  are  not  the  same  as  those 
used  in  painting  on  porcelain  or  ordinary  china.  I will 
give  the  names  in  the  list  below,  and  also  the  name  and 
address  of  a merchant  in  London  who  has  these  colors, 
of  very  good  quality,  and  who  sells  them  at  a very 
moderate  price. 

These  minerals,  or  colors  can  be  mixed  one  with  the 
other  (the  colors  used  for  every  kind  of  painting  on 
porcelain  and  china  are  all  minerals  ( emaux — enamels, 
literally)  ; one  can  therefore  use  indifferently  the  word 
minerals  or  colors),  by  adding  always  a little  white. 
They  ought  to  be  ground  and  used  with  water  in  which 
you  dissolve  a little  gum  of  tragacanth. 

Landscape,  flowers,  and  still  life,  that  is,  fruits , birds, 
etc.,  etc.,  succeed  always  very  well  in  this  kind  of 
painting.  Heads  are  always  more  difficult,  complexions 
being  more  delicate,  and  exacting  more  demi-tints, 


PAINTING-  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE.  23 


which  makes  the  work  dryer ; nevertheless  in  our  last 
Industrial  Exposition,  a few  artists  of  talent  have  exhib- 
ited several  works  of  this  kind,  executed  with  great 

skill. 

Painting  on  cameo  is  very  pretty  work,  and  is  usual- 
ly executed  with  blue  alone  ; when  the  washes  are  well 
graduated,  the  shadows  vigorous,  and  the  lights  pre- 
served bright  and  transparent,  the  general  effect  of  this 
work  is  always  pretty,  whatever  the  subject  may  be,  and 
this  blue  tint  always  produces  effects  that  are  extremely 
harmonious  to  the  eye.  But  the  drawing  should  be 
made  with  the  utmost  purity  of  form  and  outline. 

Here  is  a list  of  colors  or  minerals,  to  be  employed  in 
this  kind  of  painting  (aw  grand  feu ) — strong  lire,  so 
called — the  technical  term  in  English,  Biscuit-painting. 

Turquoise — T urquoise . 

Bleu  ( mat ) — Blue  (pale). 

Bleu  Indien — Indian  blue. 

Bleu  fonce — Dark  blue. 

Bleu  Mazarin — Mazarine  blue. 

Chocolat — Chocolate . 

Brun  ( ordinaire ) — Common  brown. 


24  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN- WARE . 


Brun  (No.  2) — Brown  No.  2. 

Vtrt  Frangais — French  green. 

Vert  clair — Light  green. 

Orange — Orange . 

Jaune — Yellow. 

Cramoisi — Crimson . 

Gris — Gray. 

Blanc — White. 

Noir—  Black. 

The  blue  colors  can  all  he  mixed  one  with  another, 
but  the  most  beautiful  shadows  can  be  obtained  by 
turquoise  blue  and  Indian  blue.  Dark  blue  is  very 
beautiful,  and  can  be  employed  very  well  in  back- 
grounds. 

Greens  can  be  mixed  with  browns,  blacks,  yellows, 
and  blues. 

Chocolate  color  should  be  used  without  any  ad- 
mixture. 

Coral,  too,  can  be  used  more  safely  without  being 
mixed  with  other  colors. 

Carmine  ought  to  be  used  alone  or  with  a little  white. 

Gray  ought  to  be  used  alone. 

Yellow  can  be  mixed  with  blues,  greens,  and  browns  ; 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTIIEN-WARE. 


25 


however,  turquoise  blue  is  always  prettier  when  used 
alone. 

This  kind  of  painting  is  done  on  earthen- ware,  that 
is,  on  the  forms  before  being  glazed  (they  say  in 
English,  unglazed),  or  on  a clay  called  Biscuit. 

Colors  obtained  at  Mr.  AY.  P.  Gr.  Phillips,  London, 
England,  356  Oxford  Street. 

Those  seeking  pottery  paints,  or  blank  ware  in  Faience 
or  porcelain,  will  find  a good  variety  to  choose  from, 
at  Jones,  McDuffee  & Stratton’s,  who  were  the  first  to 
import  the  paints  and  ware  several  years  ago,  and  who 
have  increased  this  branch  to  a commendable  assort- 
ment ; the  large  plaques  recently  landed  are  especially 
good. 


CHAPTER  X. 

FLOWERS. 

Are  the  colors  used  in  painting  flowers  the  same  as 
those  used  in  painting  Iliads  and  landscapes?  How 
many  times  this  question  has  been  asked  me ! Cer- 


26  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE. 


tainly  they  are  the  same,  only  they  are  used  in  a 
different  manner,  and  are  mixed  differently. 

I will  now  give  a few  examples  and  indicate  the 
flowers  which  are  generally  used  for  models  in  painting 
on  porcelain. 


ROSES. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  in  the  drawing  of  roses , 
they  should  be  outlined  on  the  porcelain  in  as  pure  and 
correct  a manner  as  possible,  by  one  stroke  of  the 
pencil,  and  with  great  precision  and  delicacy. 

If  the  rose  selected  for  a model  is  fresh  and  delicate, 
lay  on  first  a flat  tint,  with  extra  fine  carmine,  with  an 
admixture  of  enamel  white,  or  Chinese  white,  (both 
are  good) . The  more  of  pale  carnation  there  is  in  the 
color  of  the  rose,  the  more  white  you  should  put  in 
your  first  wash,  which  should  be  laid  on  the  petals  of 
the  flower,  by  closely  following  the  form  and  outlines. 
And  especial  care  should  be  taken  to  preserve  the 
effects  of  light  on  each  petal ; for  this  work,  it  is 
necessary  to  use  the  brush  called  stippling  brush  which 
seems  to  soften  and  blend  the  tints  in  the  direction  of 
the  high  lights.  The  brush  should  be  held  in  a 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE.  27 


perfectly  vertical  position.  Give  an  even  stroke 
reaching  beyond  the  painting,  so  that  the  wash  may  be 
perfectly  united  and  of  light  tone ; the  longer  it  is 
blended  in  the  direction  of  the  lights,  the  clearer  and 
more  delicate  the  tint  will  be  made. 

When  this  first  wash  is  dry,  the  shadows  must  be 
marked  out  by  adding  carmine  by  degrees.  In  the 
wash  used  for  the  first  tint,  the  darker  one  wishes  the 
shadows  the  more  carmine  one  should  use. 

If  the  model  is  a red  rose  use  carmine  No.  3 and 
add  sepia  in  a small  quantity  for  the  strongest  shadows. 
If  the  rose  is  of  a purplish  red  hue,  add  a little  dark 
blue  and  even  a little  black  in  the  strongest  shadows. 

In  roses  where  there  are  luminous  tints  or  shadows, 
it  is  necessary  to  insert  between  the  shadows  and  lights, 
the  demi-tint  which  is  always  rendered  by  grays  made 
with  a very  little  extra  fine  carmine,  white,  light  blue, 
and  a very  little  ivory  black. 

In  rendering  these  grays  some  artists  use  a color 
which  comes  prepared,  called  light  gray,  but  I prefer  to 
form  the  tone  with  the  colors  I have  mentioned  above. 
I find  that  the  demi-tint  harmonizes  better  with  the 
general  tone  when  the  artist  composes  his  grays.  The 


28  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE. 


pistils  of  flowers  are  usually  rendered  by  silver  yellows, 
touched  up  in  the  shadows  with  browns,  and  when  they 
are  of  u very  warm  yellow  a little  capueine  red  is  added 
to  the  shadows. 

Blue  flowers  are  treated  like  roses  by  adding  white 
to  the  first  tint,  and  the  shadows  are  obtained  with  blue. 
If  the  flowers  are  dark  blue,  but  cold,  that  is  to  say, 
of  a greenish  blue,  add  ivory  black  to  the  blue,  for  the 
strongest  shadows.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  flower  is  of 
a warm  blue,  that  is  to  say,  approaching  lilac  in  color, 
add  carmine  to  the  blue  for  the  shadows. 

If  one  wishes  to  paint  a great  many  lilac  or  violet 
flowers,  for  the  violet  the  verifiable  colors  can  be  used, 
the  same  as  in  painting  in  water-colors  ; that  is  to  ‘say , 
by  the  mixture  of  carmines  and  blues.  There  are  violet 
colors  which  are  sold  all  prepared.  I always  prefer  to 
prepare  my  tints  myself,  and  with  no  other  resources 
than  those  afforded  by  my  palette — shadows  in  this  way 
are  more  artistically  rendered. 

Flowers  composed  of  purple  produce  a pretty  effect ; 
but  this  color  ought  always  to  be  used  without  being 
mixed  with  any  other,  unless  it  be  a little  white  in  the 
first  tint,  called  flat  tint,  that  with  which  your  work 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE.  29 


should  always  be  begun,  since  it  is  that  which  not  only 
disposes  the  lights,  but  which  determines  the  tone  of 
the  flower. 

White  flowers  require  great  softness  in  their  tones, 
and,  above  all,  great  simplicity,  if  one  wishes  to  be  true 
in  one’s  work  ; therefore,  lilies  and  white  roses  are  treated 
almost  in  the  same  manner;  the  interior  of  the  flowers, 
the  pistils,  or  what  is  commonly  called  the  heart  of  the 
flower,  should  be  rendered  in  effect  with  yellow  border- 
ing on  green,  composed  of  ivory  yellow,  and  a little, 
very  little  brilliant  green,  touched  up  in  the  shadows 
with  light  browns,  mixed  with  a little  green. 

The  shadows  of  white  petals  ought  to  be  composed 
of  a little  ochre  mixed  with  brilliant  yellow,  these 
shadows  ought  always  to  be  light  and  transparent,  for 
the  great  merit  in  painting  flowers  is  to  paint  them 
simple  in  tone,  fresh  and  true  ; for  this,  do  not  multiply 
the  tints  and  shading,  and  never  let  your  work  be  con- 
ventional, with  heavy,  false  tones. 

Grays  or  the  demi-tints  are  for  white  flowers,  and 
are  generally  light  and  delicate,  and  ought  to  blend 
without  harshness  with  the  white  of  the  petals ; it  is 
necessary  then  to  treat  them  according  to  the  tint  of 


30  PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE. 


the  flower,  if  that  is  of  a yellow  white  the  de mi-tint 
should  be  made  of  violet  of  iron,  and  a very  little  blue. 

If,  on  the  contrary,  the  flower  is  of  a greenish  white, 
the  demi-tints  should  be  made  with  dark  blue > and  a 
very  little  reddish  brown. 

Yellow  flowers  are  treated  according  to  their  general 
shade  of  color.  If  the  flowers  are  light  yellow,  use 
ivory  yellow ; if  dark  yellow,  use  silver  yellow, 
brilliant  yellow,  and  even  coral  red.  If  the  flowers 
are  of  a warm  yellow,  the  shadows  should  be  made 
with  yellow-brown,  ochre,  sepia,  and  even  bitumen  for 
the  darkest  shadows ; the  demi-tints  in  these  yellow 
tones  ought  to  be  composed  of  ivory  yellow  and  a very 
little  blue  for  a greenish  demi-tint ; ochre  and  reddish 
brown  to  obtain  the  demi-tint  in  a warm  yellow  tone. 
Sometimes  one  can  finish  one’s  work  with  a glazing,  , 
that  is  by  a very  light  wash  in  capucine  red  or  even 
coral  red ; but  these  colors  which  I indicate  here  for 
glazing,  should  only  be  used  alone,  and  passed  very 
lightly  over  the  work  to  bring  out  the  tone,  and  not  to 
destroy  it,  which  is  inevitably  the  case  if  the  wash  or 
tint  is  not  laid  on  with  extreme  lightness  and  skill. 

The  greens  for  the  leaves  of  the  flowers  are  com- 

O 


PAINTING  ON  PORCELAIN  AND  EARTHEN-WARE.  31 


posed  the  same  as  for  foliage  in  the  Chapter  on  Land- 
scapes. In  the  same  way  use  yellows  in  the  luminous 
greens,  and  browns  and  bitumen  in  the  shadows  of 
dark  greens. 

If  this  brochure  can  aid  the  artist  by  making  his  task 
easier,  and  his  work  less  arduous,  my  end  is  attained, 
and  I shall  feel  very  happy  if  I have  in  any  degree  con- 
tributed to  his  success  with  these  few  suggestions. 

L.  H.  B.  V. 


TIHEIEl! 


POTTERY  AND  GLASSWARE 

OF  ALL  COUNTRIES. 


JONES,  MCDUFFEE  & STRATTON, 

have  continually  coming  forward,  importations  from  original  sources. 
English,  French,  German,  Chinese  and  Japanese  novelties;  comprising  a 
stock  of  useful  and  ornamental  pottery,  excelled  by  none  on  this  continent, 
which  is  offered  for  sale  in  large  or  small  lots,  at  lowest  market  prices 
always. 

We  call  Special  Attention 

TO  OUR  STOCK  OF 

PAINTS  FOR  DECORATING  POTTERY, 

together  with  blank  ware;  American  red  brisque  and  oil  polished;  white 
French  and  German  Faience;  white  French  and  Austrian  Porcelain,  etc. 
from  the  smallest  pieces  to  the  largest  plaques.  Having  been  first  in  the 
States  to  import  supplies  of  Pottery  Paints  and  Blanc  Ware,  suitable  for 
amateurs,  we  feel  a special  interest  in  having  the  art  promoted. 

JONES,  MCDUFFEE  & STRATTON, 

(Late  Otis  Norcross  & Co.) 

51  to  59  FEDERAL  STREET,  & 120  FRANKLIN  STREET. 

BOSTON,  MASS. 

N.  B.  Specimens  of  the  Chelsea  (Mass.)  Pottery  just  placed  upon  our 
tables  ; including  incised  or  carved  decorations  similar  to  Miss  Barlovr’s 
woik  on  Doulton  Ware,  to  which  we  call  attention.  Also  to  an  importa- 
tion of  genuine  Doulton  from  Lambeth,  together  with  Bourg  la  Reine , 
and  Haviland  Rimoges  Faience.  Also  attractive  bric-a-brac  from  Minton’s, 
Copeland,  and  a large  Japanese  importation. 


TILiES 

FROM  ALL  PARTS  OF  THE  WORLD. 

TILES  OF  EVERY  SIZE  AND  COLOR, 

FOR  DECORATION- 

HOUSEHOLD  ART  ROOMS, 

171  TREMONT  STREET. 

LACROIX’S  COLORS, 

And  all  Materials  used  in  Decorating 

CHINA,  TILES,  &e. 

FOUND  AT 

FROST  & ADAMS, 


IMPORTERS  OF  ARTISTS’  MATERIALS, 

33  and  35  Cornhill, 
BOSTON. 


XDecora.tixig:  on  OlaiziSL. 

The  subscriber  with  twenty-five  years*  practical  experience, 
is  enabled  to  execute  orders  for' 

DECORATED  CHINA  WARE 

of  every  description,  to  pattern  or  original  designs.  A full 
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for  decoration  ; small  wheels  for  putting  on  circles  and  lines  ; 
Hand  Rests  ; Ground-glass  Palettes  ; Mullers  ; Brushes  ; Fat 
Oil ; Oil  of  Lavender,  and  everything  necessary  for  painting 
on  China.  Gold  in  powder  or  moist  ready  for  use.  Sample 
Tiles  with  all  the  Enamel  Colors.  Amateur  work  fired  twice 
a week. 

The  subscriber  will  also  give  instructions  in  Painting  on 
China,  at  moderate  terms.  Address  or  apply  at  the 

China  Decorating  Rooms, 

JSTo.  16  Newton  JPlcice, 

OFF  BEACH  ST.,  NEAR  WASHINGTON,  BOSTON. 

THEODORE  WALTER. 

db  SONS, 

MANUFACTURERS  OF  ART  WORK, 

LONDON -NEW  YORK  CITY. 

12  West  Street,  IBoston. 

Public  and  Private  Buildings  Furnished. 

Designs,  Estimates  and  Catalogues  on  Application. 

H.  EDGAR  HARTWELL, 


coisrsxji-iTxnsro  designer. 


ELEMENTARY  INSTRUCTION  IN  WOOD  CARVING, 

By  SAMUEL  HAYWARD, 

DOMESTIC  ARCHITECT. 

Household  Furniture  Designed  and  Executed  in  order  with  the 
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^Estlieticall.y,  according  to  requirements 
and  conditions. 

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PROCTOR  & MOODY. 

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Orders  by  Mail  Solicited . 

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525  Washington  Street, 

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NOVELTIES  IN  ART  FURNITURE 

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Goods  of  our  own  Importations. 


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